10 Lashkar-e-Toiba militant shot dead in Budhal, Mandi

22 September 1999Daily Excelsior

RAJOURI: In one of the big success in the continued anti-militancy
operation, army today liquidated 10 hardcore and front
ranking militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit in two
encounter at Budhal in Rajouri and Mandi in Poonch
district.

Meanwhile, troops also
averted a major catastrophe when they detected and
defused a live powerful bomb in Government school at
Gounthal in Surankote during working hours of the school.
Staff and students of the school had a miraculous escape.

A Defence spokesman said
troops threw a major security ring in Thil village of
Budhal tehsil, located at a height of 13,500 feet in Pir
Panjal range last night after getting a specific
information about the presence of 10 militants in the
area.

Troops, who formed part of
a Seek and Destroy Operation launched by the
army, established contact with militants at 2100 hours
last night and continued to chase them. A fierce
gun-battle continued throughout the last night in the
jungles of Thil villages.

By 0900 hours this
morning, army had succeeded in eliminating nine hardcore
militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit while one militant
managed to flee from the encounter site. An army jawan
was also seriously injured in the encounter.

Reinforcement has been
rushed to the spot to eliminate the absconding militant,
who was also suspected to be a top activist of
Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Identity of the slain
militants couldnt be established immediately but
the spokesman said most of them appeared to be foreign
mercenaries from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their dead
bodies have been recovered from the encounter site and
handed over to local police for identification.

A huge quantity of
weaponry including rifles, pistols, explosives,
communication sets and ammunition was recovered from the
possession of slain militants. Besides weaponry, troops
also recovered mutton, butter, glucose and other eatables
from them. Exact details of the recovery were being
worked out.

This was for the first
time that nine militants were liquidated by the troops in
a single operation. Official sources described the
operation as a major success and lauded the efforts of
army officers and jawans involved in the operation.

Another militant was
killed during a fierce encounter with army in Norian area
of Mandi in Poonch district today. The slain militant
also belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. His identity
hasnt been established as yet but he too was
suspected to be a Pakistani.

Troops averted what could
have been a major tragedy in Government high school
Gounthal in Surankote tehsil of Poonch. Militants had
planted a powerful IED inside the school premises during
the working hours.

Panic gripped student and
staff members of the school when a report that a bomb had
been planted in the school premises spread. Students and
staff members deserted the school and took shelter in
safer areas.

A bomb disposal unit of
the army rushed to the spot and defused the bomb safely,
averting a major tragedy and saving the lives of students
and teachers. Local people condemned the militants for
planting a bomb in the school and targeting innocent
students and teachers.

Troops recovered three AK
rifles, one pistol, 12 magazines and one radio set from
the possession of three militants, who were shot dead
yesterday at Bachianwali Gali in Surankote.